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United States Patent | 6,006,279 |
Hayes | December 21, 1999 |
Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer-readable medium to provide an application programming interface (API) to a client application for communicating between the client application and a plug-in module. The API includes a menu-create routine which searches for plug-in modules, which enters information regarding a found plug-in module into a structure, the structure being used to create and to display a plug-in menu of found plug-in modules, an "about" menu-create routine which enters "about" plug-in information into an "about" structure, the "about" structure being used to create and to display a plug-in "about" menu, a menu-enable routine, a menu-disable routine and an invoking routine which permits the client application to utilize a selected plug-in module.
Inventors: | Hayes; Persnaz Neli (Anaheim Hills, CA) |
Assignee: | Canon Information Systems, Inc. (Irvine, CA) |
Appl. No.: | 784542 |
Filed: | January 21, 1997 |
Current U.S. Class: | 719/328 |
Intern'l Class: | G06F 009/44 |
Field of Search: | 395/680,682 709/300,302 |
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5410698 | Apr., 1995 | Danneels et al. | 709/305. |
5432925 | Jul., 1995 | Abraham et al. | 709/301. |
5437036 | Jul., 1995 | Stamps et al. | 709/302. |
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